The Renaissance (Renaissance) replaced the Middle Ages and lasted until the Enlightenment. It is of great importance in the history of Europe. It is distinguished by a secular type of culture, as well as humanism and anthropocentrism (man comes first). Renaissance figures also changed their minds.
Basic information
A new culture was being formed thanks to the changed social relations in Europe. It was especially affected by the fall of the Byzantine state. Many Byzantines immigrated to European countries, and with them they brought a huge amount of works of art. All this was not familiar to medieval Europe, and Cosimo de Medici, impressed, created the Plato Academy in Florence.
The spread of city-republics led to the growth of estates that were far from feudal relations. These included artisans, bankers, merchants, and so on. They did not take into account the medieval values that wereformed by the church. As a result of this, humanism was formed. This concept means a philosophical direction that considers a person as the highest value.
Secular scientific and research centers began to form in many countries. Their difference from the medieval ones was the separation from the church. The invention of printing in the 15th century made a big shift. Thanks to this, prominent figures of the Renaissance began to appear more and more often.
Formation and flourishing
The first was the Renaissance in Italy. Here, its signs began to appear as early as the 13th and 14th centuries. However, he failed to gain popularity then, and only in the 20s of the XV century it was able to gain a foothold. In other European countries, the Renaissance spread much later. It was at the end of the century that this movement flourished.
The next century became a crisis for the Renaissance. The result was the appearance of Mannerism and Baroque. The entire Renaissance is divided into four periods. Each of them is represented by its culture, art.
Proto-Renaissance
Is the transitional period from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. It can be divided into two stages. The first continued during the life of Giotto, the second - after his death (1337). The first was filled with great discoveries, during this period the brightest figures of the Renaissance worked. The second ran parallel to the deadly plague that tormented Italy.
Renaissance artists of this period expressed their skill mainly in sculpture. Arnolfo di Cambio can be especially distinguished,Andrea Pisano, as well as Niccolo and Giovanni Pisano. The painting of that time is represented by two schools, which were located in Siena and Florence. Giotto played a huge role in the painting of that period.
Renaissance figures (artists), in particular Giotto, began to touch upon secular topics in their paintings in addition to religious themes.
Dante Alighieri, who created the famous "Comedy", made a revolution in literature. However, the descendants, admiring, called it the "Divine Comedy". The sonnets of Petrarch (1304-1374), written during this period, gained immense popularity, and Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), author of the Decameron, became his follower.
The most famous figures of the Renaissance became the creators of the Italian literary language. The works of these writers gained fame beyond the borders of their native state during their lifetime, and subsequently were considered to be among the treasures of world literature.
Early Renaissance Period
This period lasted eighty years (1420-1500). The figures of the Early Renaissance did not abandon the usual recent past, but began to resort to the classics of antiquity in their works. Gradually they moved from medieval to ancient principles. This transition was influenced by changes in life and culture.
In Italy, the principles of classical antiquity were already fully manifested, while in other states they still adhered to the traditions of the Gothic style. Only by the middle of the 15th century did the Renaissance penetrateto Spain and north of the Alps.
In painting, first of all, they began to show the beauty of a person. The early period is mainly represented by the works of Botticelli (1445-1510) as well as Masaccio (1401-1428).
A particularly famous sculptor of that period is Donatello (1386-1466). The portrait type prevailed in his works. Donatello also created a sculpture of a naked body for the first time since antiquity.
The most important and famous architect of that period was Brunelleschi (1377-1446). He managed to combine in his works the ancient Roman and Gothic styles. He was engaged in the construction of chapels, temples and palaces. Also returned elements of ancient architecture.
High Renaissance Period
This time was the heyday of the Renaissance (1500-1527). The center of Italian art is located in Rome, and not in the usual Florence. The reason for this was the newly-made Pope Julius II. He had an enterprising and decisive character, during his stay on the papal throne, the best cultural figures of the Renaissance came to court.
The construction of the most magnificent buildings began in Rome, sculptors create numerous masterpieces that are the pearls of world art in our time. There is a writing of frescoes and paintings that fascinate with their beauty. All these branches of art develop by helping each other.
The study of antiquity is getting deeper. Increasingly accurate reproduction of cultureof that period. At the same time, the calmness of the Middle Ages is replaced by playfulness in painting. Nevertheless, the figures of the Renaissance, whose list is extensive, borrow only some elements of antiquity, and create the basis on their own. Each has its own distinctive features.
Leonardo Da Vinci
The most famous figure of the Renaissance is, perhaps, Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519). This is the most versatile personality of that period. He was engaged in painting, music, sculpture, science. During his life, Da Vinci was able to invent many things that have firmly entered our lives today (bicycle, parachute, tank, and so on). Sometimes his experiments ended in failures, but this happened due to the fact that some inventions, one might say, were ahead of their time.
Most of him is known, of course, thanks to the painting "Mona Lisa". Many scientists are still looking for various secrets in it. Leonardo left behind several students.
Late Renaissance Period
Became the final stage in the Renaissance (from 1530 to 1590-1620, however, some scholars extend it until 1630, because of this there are constant disputes).
In Southern Europe at that time a movement (Counter-Reformation) began to appear, the purpose of which was to restore the greatness of the Catholic Church and the Christian faith. All chanting of the human body was unacceptable to him.
Many contradictions resulted in the fact that the crisis began to appearideas. As a result of the instability of religion, the figures of the Renaissance began to lose harmony between nature and man, between the physical and the spiritual. The result was the emergence of mannerism and baroque.
Renaissance in Russia
Renaissance culture in some areas has influenced our country. However, its impact was limited by a fairly large distance, as well as the attachment of Russian culture to Orthodoxy.
The first ruler who paved the way for the Renaissance in Russia was Ivan III, who during his time on the throne began to invite Italian architects. With their arrival, new elements and construction technologies appeared. However, a huge upheaval in architecture did not happen.
In 1475 the Assumption Cathedral was restored by the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti. He adhered to the traditions of Russian culture, but added space to the project.
By the 17th century, due to the influence of the Renaissance, Russian icons become realistic, but at the same time, artists follow all the ancient canons.
Soon, Russia was able to master book printing. However, it became especially widespread only in the 17th century. Many technologies that appeared in Europe were quickly brought to Russia, where they improved and became part of the traditions. For example, according to one of the hypotheses, vodka was brought from Italy, later its formula was finalized, and in 1430 a Russian version of this drink appeared.
Conclusion
Renaissancegave the world many gifted artists, researchers, scientists, sculptors, architects. Of the huge number of names, one can single out those that are most famous and famous.
Philosophers and scientists:
- Bruno.
- Galileo.
- Pico Della Mirandola.
- Nicholas of Cusa.
- Machiavelli.
- Campanella.
- Paracelsus.
- Copernicus.
- Munzer.
Writers and poets:
- F. Petrarch.
- Dante.
- J. Boccaccio.
- Rable.
- Servantes.
- Shakespeare.
- E. Rotterdam.
Architects, painters and sculptors:
- Donatello.
- Leonardo da Vinci.
- N. Pisano.
- A. Rosselino.
- S. Botticelli.
- Raphael.
- Michelangelo.
- Bosch.
- Titian.
- A. Durer.
Of course, this is only a small part of the figures of the Renaissance, but it was these people who became its personification for many.
